Michigan State forward Branden Dawson’s college career was less than 20 minutes old when he got loose on a fastbreak on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson and, suddenly, crumbled to the court and writhed in pain. Many who’ve followed college basketball in recent years were gripped by the same fear at that moment: Dawson has been seriously injured by slipping on center-court logo sticker.

It turned out that wasn’t the case. He was fine and completed the game. But the NCAA basketball rules committee has seen enough circumstances such as that one and is recommending that the basketball court be “of a consistent surface” in future seasons.

That would mean a court that is made of hardwood but covered with stick-on logos would not be in compliance.

Writing for NCAA.org, Greg Johnson said this is “non-rules change” year for the committee but that members felt compelled to recommend the change be implemented for 2012-13 because it affects player safety. The change would need to be approved by the playing rules oversight panel, which meets by conference call June 12.

The committee is not opposing on-court advertising but is asking that it be consistent with the court surface.

Most advertising stickers are placed on courts for exempt events or conference tournaments.

“The safety of our student-athletes has to come before anything else,” said John Dunne, the chair of the men’s basketball rules committee and coach at St. Peter’s. “We’re seeing players slip on the non-consistent parts of the floor too many times.

“Sometimes it takes a high-profile event to make a rules change. But we don’t want to sit back and wait for injuries to happen and then pass the rule.”